Southwest watch. Education.

Teacher Makes History A Hot Topic During Concentrated Summer Term

June 29, 1994|By Kristina Marlow, Tribune Staff Writer.

Summer school students won't find work sheets in Mark Clarke's Plainfield High School classroom. That's because he uses unconventional techniques to tackle the almost impossible task of teaching a semester of U.S. history in half a month.

"There's no way you can stand and lecture for 4 1/2 hours," Clarke says.

He starts out the morning with a teenage version of "show and tell," in which a student shares a favorite poem, song or possession and talks to the class about themselves. Clarke wants students to get to know each other, since they spend almost five hours together every day.

Then begins what Clarke calls "serious fun."

"You gotta have fun with it," he said. "History can be fun."

His students have simulated the presidential campaign of 1828 and have re-enacted Civil War troop movements in the school courtyard.

Clarke has brought in an expert on President John Kennedy and the assassination to bring the country's history to life.

Or he quizzes the students using trivia questions, awarding those who answer correctly with "fabulous prizes" that he buys at the "everything under a dollar store."

And he breaks up the concentrated course with "holidays." On Monday, the class celebrated Thanksgiving, complete with turkey and all the trimmings, courtesy of Clarke's wife. The students discussed what they were thankful for-probably a summer school teacher like Clarke.

"People want to be there," said 16-year-old Katie Bernard. "Some of my friends that aren't in summer school are like `Why waste your summer?' "

But she's not the only one who thinks studying U.S. history in the new, air-conditioned high school is a good way to spend the summer. The director of the summer school program, George Schlott, estimates that only 24 of the 310 students attending Plainfield's summer school program are there because they are required to retake a class. That means more than 90 percent of the students are there because they want to be. Many are trying to get required classes out of the way so they will have time for electives such as band or art.

Carole Garrett, assistant principal at Lockport Township East Campus, said she has also seen more students taking enrichment courses over the summer. Colleges are now requiring students to have three or four years of core subjects, making it harder for students to take electives.

"The students were locked in," Garrett said. "It does not leave much room."

Budget: Local school districts have been trying to figure out how to pay for remedial and enrichment summer programs since a midyear budget cut in 1992 eliminated $15 million in state funding.

The cuts have had a significant impact on many of the area's districts, including Valley View Community Unit School District 365, which was forced to cut transportation and cancel its elementary and middle school summer programs.

Larry Larson, director of the district's vocational and continuing education programs, said he still get calls from parents looking for a summer school program for younger kids.